Toward Picard-Lefschetz theory of path integrals, complex saddles and resurgence

DOI10.4310/AMSA.2017.V2.N1.A3zbMATH Open1381.81069arXiv1510.03435OpenAlexW2195757990WikidataQ57428630 ScholiaQ57428630MaRDI QIDQ679636FDOQ679636

Authors: Alireza Behtash, Gerald V. Dunne, Thomas Schäfer, Tin Sulejmanpasic, Mithat Ünsal 

Publication date: 19 January 2018

Published in: Annals of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We show that the semi-classical analysis of generic Euclidean path integrals necessarily requires complexification of the action and measure, and consideration of complex saddle solutions. We demonstrate that complex saddle points have a natural interpretation in terms of the Picard-Lefschetz theory. Motivated in part by the semi-classical expansion of QCD with adjoint matter on ${mathbbR}^{3}imes{S}^1$, we study quantum-mechanical systems with bosonic and fermionic (Grassmann) degrees of freedom with harmonic degenerate minima, as well as (related) purely bosonic systems with harmonic non-degenerate minima. We find exact finite action non-BPS bounce and bion solutions to the holomorphic Newton equations. We find not only real solutions, but also complex solution with non-trivial monodromy, and finally complex multi-valued and singular solutions. Complex bions are necessary for obtaining the correct non-perturbative structure of these models. In the supersymmetric limit the complex solutions govern the ground state properties, and their contribution to the semiclassical expansion is necessary to obtain consistency with the supersymmetry algebra. The multi-valuedness of the action is either related to the hidden topological angle or to the resurgent cancellation of ambiguities. We also show that in the approximate multi-instanton description the integration over the complex quasi-zero mode thimble produces the most salient features of the exact solutions. While exact complex saddles are more difficult to construct in quantum field theory, the relation to the approximate thimble construction suggests that such solutions may be underlying some remarkable features of approximate bion saddles in quantum field theories.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.03435

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Structure of families (Picard-Lefschetz, monodromy, etc.) (14D05) Applications of vector bundles and moduli spaces in mathematical physics (twistor theory, instantons, quantum field theory) (14D21) Semiclassical techniques, including WKB and Maslov methods applied to problems in quantum theory (81Q20) Nonperturbative methods of renormalization applied to problems in quantum field theory (81T16) Supersymmetric field theories in quantum mechanics (81T60) Other elementary particle theory in quantum theory (81V25) Path integrals in quantum mechanics (81S40) Picard-type theorems and generalizations for several complex variables (32H25)

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